On this page, you will find the current Little Haven board members and their bios.
As a not-for-profit charity receiving funding from Queensland Health and financial support through fundraising from the local community, Little Haven’s governance is critical to its operation. Its nine-member Board oversees the governance of the organisation.
Sunshine Coast University service and economic evaluation of Little Haven Palliative Care 2024
Visit our Past Board Members Page to view those in the past who have served as board and executive board members.
Chair of Little Haven Board
Brandy Murley
President – Brandy Murley
President & Board Chair: January 2017 – Current (Took over from Helen Hall)
As one of Phyl Little’s granddaughters, Brandy has been involved in Little Haven from a very young age. Having served in various roles on the Management Committee over the past 9 years Brandy understands the importance of Little Haven for the Gympie and wider community.
After graduating from UQ in 1996 as a Registered Music Therapist, Brandy returned home to Gympie to raise her family of three children, and now runs her 3rd generation family business with her brother.
Brandy has a keen interest in strategy development and governance and enjoys working with the Management Committee to help the valued team at Little Haven as they continue their renowned and applauded work in community based palliative care.
Board Secretary
Sue Manton OAM
CEO & Secretary – Sue Manton OAM
CEO & Board Secretary: 2001 to Current
President:1999-2001
Committee Member:1998-1999
Sue completed her training as an RN at PA Hospital in Brisbane before spending 7 years as a Nurse Manager in Perth before moving back to Queensland and to Gympie in 1990.
Sue joined the Management Committee in 1998 before taking on the Business Manager role in 2001. Under her 23-year leadership, Little Haven has grown from supporting 40 palliative care patients a year to more than 250+ a year, along with an equal number of bereaved families.
The ‘magic’ Little Haven model, executed by a dedicated team and backed by a committed Gympie community, has attracted attention beyond the region and set precedent for how caring the dying is addressed in rural and regional Queensland.
As an AIM Qld Rural and Regional Business Manager of the Year and OAM recipient, Sue’s passion has been fueled by the need for this change.
Sue has held the position of Palliative Care Qld State Council Secretary, has presented at State Conferences and various other forums, and is a staunch advocate for community based palliative care at State and National levels.
Vice President
David Fletcher
Vice President – David Fletcher
Vice President: 2013 – Current
David Fletcher is a Senior NAB Business Banking Manager who has been in the finance industry the majority of his career.
This is a big change from his life growing up on a sheep property in NSW and then a Dairy farm in the South Burnett.
The Gympie community has been a big part of his life and he has enjoyed the business and personal relationships that have developed since his family moved here in 2009. David was invited to join the Little Haven committee in 2013 and has been a great asset in financial advice and long term planning. Little Haven Palliative Care is an organisation very close to his and his family’s heart.
When not working David enjoys time with his wife and 2 active boys. He also enjoys his training to keep fit so he can still outrun his boys and his wife.
Treasurer
Reg Leis
Treasurer – Reg Leis
Treasurer: 2023 – Current (Took over treasurer’s role from Tanya Hubbard )
Reg has over 30 years’ experience in the insurance and financial services industry, previously working within the banking industry.
He is an experienced Director with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. Skilled in Professional Liability, Term Life Insurance, Indemnity, Commercial Insurance, and Liability. Strong professional graduated from The Financial Services School.
Volunteer Rep
Trevor Kirk
Volunteer Rep – Trevor Kirk
Board Member & Volunteer Rep: 2018 – Current
Born in Gympie and employed at Nestle for 47 years, Trevor was the President of the Nestle Social Club for around 40 years and saw it go from strength to strength. He has been married to Cherryl for 46 years and has two adult children and two grandchildren.
Trevor is currently and for the last 14 years has been President of One Mile Sports Association. He has also been President of Golden City Soccer Club (4 years), President of Football Gympie (24 years) – in which he facilitated massive improvements to facilities, grounds, and fostering of the development of a family-friendly club environment.
Trevor has been involved with the Gympie Soccer scene for 34 years as a parent, canteen convenor, grounds person, handyman, financial overseer and has been heavily involved in grant application preparation. He is a life member of Golden City Soccer Club (Qld), Football Gympie, Football Wide Bay and One Mile Sports Association.
Awards received:
- Football Australia Volunteer of the Year 2009
- Queensland Health Service to Junior Sports Award 2009
- Football Queensland Volunteer Award 2009
- Australian Sports Achiever Award 2000
- Australia Day Awards – Widgee, Cooloola Shire Council, Gympie Regional Council
Trevor is an innovative thinker and brings a wealth of knowledge and organisational skills to Little Haven as a Committee member and volunteer at the Market Place.
Consumer Rep
Irene Halliday
Consumer Rep – Irene Halliday
Board Member & Consumer rep: 2018 – Current
Irene Halliday immigrated from Malaysia in 2000. She finished her tertiary studies in Malaysia before furthering her studies in the UK. She is by profession a music teacher. She works at Cooloola Christian College as a Finance & Purchasing Officer and has worked there since 2004 and is also in charge of the Instrumental Programme.
In 2017 Irene was one of the finalists for the Women in Business Award.
Irene has a passion for music, playing in orchestras and as an accompanist for choirs. She volunteers at Little Haven Palliative Care and gives her time to doing community work. Her hobbies are music, cooking, outdoor activities, and craft.
Irene first became aware of Little Haven when we were involved in the care of her husband many years ago and has remained a supporter of the work we do since. Her personal experience of the service, a family connection to palliative care, and experience with grief and loss of family members makes her a very valuable consumer representative on the committee.
Consumer Rep
Sonja Calvert
Consumer Rep – Sonja Calvert
Board Member & Consumer rep: 2018 – Current
Sonja Calvert who joins the board as a Consumer representative with a special interest in progressing the “hospice” vision.
Sonja has served on many committees, is an active volunteer and has a strong connection with Little Havens Services.
Community Rep
Len Sivyer
Community Rep – Len Sivyer
Board Member & Community rep: 2023 – Current
Len joined the LHPC Board at the 2023 AGM. He has been married to Judy for 47 years and they have lived in Gympie for 26 of those years. Prior to that, they were Gypsies who followed Len’s Forestry career (of 42 years) around regional Queensland, generally staying between 1 and 5 years at any one place. Judy and Len have been blessed with a daughter and a son. They also have two amazing granddaughters.
Since retiring from full-time work in 2014, Len has served on the Boards of several Not-for-Profit organisations. These include:
- Queensland Chair of the Institute of Foresters Australia.
- Director and then Chair of Private Forestry Service Queensland.
- Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee for the Mary Valley Rattler.
Len is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and has a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Leadership from Griffith University. He has long admired the vital work that LHPC does in the community and hopes to bring some of the experience he has gained from senior roles and other Boards to help the organisation.
